A Ninja's Passion
by Kage-sensei
Summary: naruto and sakura are together for now, but a new mission threatens their just blossoming relationship.
1. Chapter 1

Hey all! This is my first story on fanfic so I hope you enjoy! Readers beware: if you are easily offended by depictions of sex, violence or language please shut the fuck up leave the rest of us alone to enjoy our stories! ;-)

A Ninja's Passion

Chp. 1

It was summer in Konoha. The sun was shining and the flowers at the Yamanaka flower shop were blooming. Naruto walks in and starts to look around.

"Looking for anything in particular Naruto-kun?" a familiar voice asked.

"Long time no see Yamanaka-san. Not really, just trying to pick something out for Sakura-san," Naruto replied. "Tonight is our 6 month anniversary".

"Wow! You actually remembered that? Someone pinch me, this can't be Naruto!" laughed Ino.

"Yamete! She was drilling it into my head for the past 2 weeks," replied Naruto with a sigh, "It would be hard, even for me, to forget like that!"

"Well, I guess you got me there. She can be just a little abrasive at times. Here, let me help you look around. Knowing you, you'd just pick out a dandelion and think you were the greatest thing in the world," replied Ino as she got out of her chair.

After about an hour of searching, arguing and face slamming, Naruto finally picked out the perfect arrangement of flowers to take to Sakura (along with various other herbs to help with his newly swollen face).

"I should probably stop by my place and clean up first. Sakura-dono might wonder about my face," thought Naruto.

He went home, got cleaned up, licked his wounds and got ready to meet up with Sakura. When he was finished he looked at the clock. "FUCK! Its 7:15! I was supposed to meet Sakura at 6:30!" screamed Naruto as he ran out the door. "She's gonna be sooooo pissed at me!" He ran as fast as he could to the hokage faces, where he was supposed to meet Sakura. "I hope she's still there. Please, oh, please still be there!"

He finally reached the top and found Sakura sitting quietly on a bench. Naruto's heart skipped a beat when he saw her there, she was beautiful. "You kept me waiting an hour," she said softly.

"I…I tried to get hear as fast as I could! But with the flower shop, my mangled face, the quick clean up and everything else that was going on, I lost track of time! Gomen nasi!" stammered Naruto.

"Hehehe, baka," she laughed quietly. "Tsunade-sama wanted to talk to you about something, a new mission she said".

"Aww man! I just got back from my last big one about 3 weeks ago. Oh well, whatever grandma wants I guess! But that can wait until…"

"She said it was important and she needed to see you as soon as possible," interrupted Sakura.

"Is it that bad? Shit! Well, let's go see what Tsunade-babaa wants," snorted Naruto.

*…I've got a really bad feeling about this…*

Later in the Hokage's office, Naruto and Sakura were told of Naruto's next mission. "Naruto, there have been recent reports of a rogue shinobi attacking villages. From these reports we've found that not only is this person attacking, but he is completely obliterating them! Buildings pulled up from their foundations, monuments turned to rubble, and almost every single person murdered. From all of these villages attacked, only one person was left alive for each village. But after they report the attack they themselves die. We need you to track this person down and stop them at all costs".

"Why do you need me?" asked Naruto. "This sounds more like an Anbu team could do it. Why should I go?"

"You don't understand. These villages that were attacked, they weren't just civilian villages. They were all shinobi villages!" answered Tsunade. "I need you ready to go by noon tomorrow. That's an order!

*Damn it! This old bitch should just go to hell!* "Yes maam!"

"This mission could take a very long time," said Sakura solemnly as Naruto walked her home.

"Oh come on now, don't think like that! This might not take very long at all! I'll just have to kick this guy's ass twice as hard for making you wait for me again," replied Naruto with a grin. "Besides, I wouldn't want to miss the Sakura flowers blooming. They're almost as beautiful as their namesake."

Sakura blushed. "Baka!" She turned him around and looked up at him. Her eyes were twinkling in the night. She wanted to be with him tonight. This night would be theirs alone.

She gently pulled him into the house, he followed and would obey her every command. They held each other in the warmest of embraces, she looked up at him and they kissed. Deeply, and passionately they kissed. He lowered her down gently to the floor, his hand caressing her arm. Slowly her hand moved up and down his back and she felt his hair stand on end. They continued caressing and swooning and he began to unzip her top. She did like whys to his orange coat and he kissed her neck. He touched her, just the flutter of a butterfly's wings on her warm flesh. He cupped her breasts and kissed them, making her let out a quiet moan of pleasure. He continued to work his way down her body making her tingle with every inch. She wanted him, she wanted to him everything. She spread her legs just a little wider to invite him in and he plunged. She let out a quick yelp of both pleasure and pain. She would give him all she had tonight. She knew in her heart that this may be the last night they have.

Well, that was chapter 1. You all know the drill, I don't own any of the Naruto characters. All props go out to my boy Kishimoto. Hope you enjoyed, please read and review. I gauge myself as a human being by the reviews I get. Thanks, I'm out! *-*

Japanese words and phrases used:

Yamete!: stop it!

Gomen nasi: I'm very sorry

Baka: Idiot or stupid


	2. Chapter 2

A Ninja's Passion

With the morning light usually comes hope and renewal. But for one kunoichi, it brought only fear and dread. Sakura awoke to the sound of Naruto getting dressed a few feet away. A sinister voice in the back of her mind told her to remember this image, it may be the last time you see him like this. She shuddered at the thought, but subconsciously she had already locked the image away.

Naruto glanced at her and noticed that she was awake. "Morning Sakura-Hime," he said with a warm smile. Sakura blushed as he called her that name; it was reserved for only when they were completely alone together.

"Do you really have to go already Naruto-kun?" she asked quietly. He smiled at her sadly.

"You know I have to. Grandma's orders can't be ignored when she's serious like that. Besides, if I don't go soon, another village could be destroyed."

She had already known that that would be the answer, but she still needed to ask. Her head understood, but her heart felt something else. She let him finish getting ready in silence and, when he was finished, started walking with him to the village gate. When they arrived, Tsunade was already there to send Naruto on his way.

"Hmph, at least you're not as punctual as your teacher," joked Tsunade. Kakashi, both Naruto and Sakura's jonin master, had a knack for setting appointments and showing up hours later.

"Eh, he gets there when he gets there," sighed Naruto. More than once Naruto has had to put his lunch on hold for a few hours waiting for his master.

Tsunade looked at the boy standing in front of her. In just a few short years he had become one of the strongest shinobi she had ever seen. Beyond that, though, he had a way of getting through to a persons heart and making them want to believe in him. People had shrugged off their hatred and remorse and found a way to enjoy the world again. Tsunade was no exception.

"This mission is going to have you gone for weeks, Naruto," said Tsunade, "You will need to always be on your guard and never get too distracted to notice when something is amiss… Be careful out there would ya?" With that final message, Tsunade left the gate to head back to her office leaving Naruto and Sakura to be alone. She knew this was hard on her apprentice, and also knew how hard it was to let the one you love leave on such a dangerous mission. Memories of the legacy of Naruto's necklace began to flood her mind and she was quick to bury them again. She had faith in Naruto's ability and knew he would return… Still…

Naruto shouldered his pack, laden with supplies, and walked over to where Sakura was standing. She hadn't said a word since they left her house that morning. When he got up to her he noticed that her eyes were brimmed with tears.

"What's wrong Sakura-dono?" he asked, even though he knew why she was upset. "I won't be gone that long. I just have to find this guy and put a stop to him. I'll be back before you know it."

Sakura jumped at him and embraced him with everything she had. She looked at him and gave him a kiss. "Please be careful," she whispered, "Please come back to me."

With that, she ran away from the gate, a single tear streaking down her face. Naruto watched her go and sighed to himself, hating seeing her sad. He vowed to himself that he would end this mission quickly, by whatever means necessary, and come back to Konoha. He would put a smile back on that beautiful face.

It was the fifth day since the start of the mission and Naruto was deep in the forest near the site of the last village to be brought down. He had made it to the site earlier that day and was shocked at what he found. Piles of rubble where houses and monuments used to be, trees and other sorts of vegetation charred and unsalvageable were everywhere. The most unnerving of all, though, was the fact that he couldn't find any bodies.

He had searched all that day but couldn't find any traces of them. Night was fast approaching and he decided he would look again tomorrow. Naruto was sorting through his remaining supplies when he heard a voice that sent a shiver through his spine and made him break out into a cold sweat.

"Once."

Naruto felt a sharp pain on his shoulder and looked to see a gash on it. It was deep enough to bleed but not quite deep enough to cut into his jugular.

"Twice."

Again the pain, but this time it was on his abdomen. He looked down and noticed that his shirt was starting to get a wet spot. He didn't have to lift his shirt to know that he had a similar cut going across his stomach.

"Three times."

This time it came to his chest. He took a look at it and noticed a small hole right above his heart. He also noticed that whatever caused it was stopped right before passing through the ribs. Something compelled him to look up into the tree he had camped under and he saw a man sitting casually on a low branch. He had long, black hair that went down to the middle of his back and a long scar on his right eye. He wore an old martial arts gi that was tattered from long time wear-and-tear, and he carried four katanas, two on each hip. But what Naruto couldn't stop staring at were his eyes. Those deep, amber orbs pierced him to his very soul.

"Three times you should have died, and yet you live. You should really be more observant when picking a campsite," the man said in a way that made Naruto's flesh crawl.

"Who the hell are you!" Naruto gasped, his voice trembling.

"Who? Me?" the man asked, "You aren't really in any kind of position to be asking questions, but, the name's Kage. Haitashi Kage. Don't bother telling me your name either 'cause I already know you're Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto was at a loss for words. Who was this "Kage" and how does he know him? One question buzzed in his mind, though, and allowed him to speak.

"Are you the one who's been destroying these villages?" Naruto asked, knowing in the back of his mind what the answer would be.

"Yup! Didn't even provide good sport though," replied Kage, "Not a single strong opponent in any of those places. This last place was a little better fortified, but that still barely got me to break a sweat!"

Naruto began to reach for his kunai.

"Tsk tsk tsk, before you do anything stupid…"

He was behind Naruto in an instant, two katana blades touching the sides of his neck. Naruto didn't even see him move.

"… let me explain why you're still alive," purred Kage. "I've been searching the world for a powerful fighter to call "rival". Ten years I had searched when I finally came upon Konoha. I scoped it out and noticed you, Uzumaki, and heard tales of your battle prowess. Didn't take me long to figure out how to get you out to meet me, just had to destroy a few measly places to get that old woman you call hokage to notice.

Now that I have seen you up close I realized that I was right about you. You I shall call my rival… but not yet. You are still not nearly strong enough! You wouldn't give me even the slight bit of trouble I had with this latest village in your current state. But, I see potential in you, Uzumaki! I see you becoming as strong as I am and having the ability to face me evenly in a battle to the end!"

While Kage had been telling him all of this, Naruto was thinking of a way to get himself out of this situation. No matter what he thought, though, one thing was clear. He didn't dare move an inch with this man so close to him.

"So Naruto," proclaimed Kage, "I offer you this. Go, become stronger. Strong enough to defeat me and protect everything you hold dear! When you're ready, I will come to you in full force. Until then, I bid you adieu."

Naruto felt the blades disappear from his neck and he slumped over into the tree. He couldn't move. All of his senses had been in overdrive while Kage was there and now he was exhausted. The world began to spin around him and he could feel himself slipping into the darkness of unconsciousness. The last thing he could remember before it went black was an image of Sakura with a tear rolling down her cheek.

Well, that was chapter 2 of my story. Again I apologize for the long wait for this chapter to come out. Tell me what you think and write a review so I can know what I can improve on or just what you liked. Thanks for reading and look for the next chapter to come out soon. Peace out and keep on keeping on!


	3. Chapter 3

_Kyuubi_

*thoughts/inner Sakura*

"Dialogue… duh"

What is goin' on all my beautiful fans and fanettes! It's you're favorite author Kagesensei coming at ya with another fantabulous chapter! *chirp* *chirp*… Ahem… Well anyway, I told you I'd be updating more often and I'm gonna deliver dammit! So just sit back, relax, lube up the hands and get ready for the next chapter. And please review. I really do place the basis of my life by the number of reviews I get… T-T

A Ninja's Passion chp. 3

Sakura woke with a start. Her dreams had not been pleasant that night, nor had they been since Naruto had left for his new mission. It had only been a week, but she just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Very wrong.

"How long will you make me wait, Naruto?" she softly asked into the empty air. She got out of bed and walked over to her window, not bothering to dress herself yet. A cool breeze came in and gently brushed against her bare skin, causing a chill to run through the entire course of her body. The sun had barely started to rise but she could see the store owners rushing about making last minute preparations to open up shop.

She stood there and just watched as the sun began its slow ascent into the sky. She watched as the sky changed from the soft purples and pinks into the bright, glowing yellow and orange. She watched, but all she could see was Naruto. She imagined him holding her tightly in a warm embrace, his hand following the crease of her back.

She slammed her window shut, and the images of him with it. She couldn't do this to herself again. Sakura made her way to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on her face. She reached for the towel, but then let her hand fall away as she sank to the floor, cradling herself. Today would be another long day.

_Wake up you fool! How long do you intend on lying there on the ground? There is much to be done and not much time to do it. Wake up!_

Naruto groaned and opened his eyes. He tried to sit up, but instantly his senses assaulted him and he was back on the ground. Once his head stopped spinning, he opened his eyes again. This time he was able to make it to a sitting position and look around. He was still under the tree he had made camp under and his supplies were still there. The forest around him seemed almost peaceful in spite of the fact of what had only recently happened.

_Are you just going to sit around all day enjoying the scenery? Get the fuck off you're lazy ass and get moving!_

"Must you yell? It really isn't doing anything for my headache," Naruto replied. He used the tree for support as he stood up, his legs shaking. "How long was I out?"

_Almost two days. _

"Well that's not good. What happened back there?"

_What happened was you got scared shitless and got completely overpowered. Useless little brat, can't even fight back against a single opponent._

"I don't remember YOU being very active during that encounter. If I recall, you were cowering in the depths of my mind like a scared little pup!" Naruto spat.

_I would watch my tongue if I were you._

They kept going back and forth like this for the better part of 20 minutes when they both got the feel of something they didn't like. All at once they stopped talking and Naruto dropped into cover. The air around him had become still, deathly still. A chill ran down his spine as he looked around. Everything around him had begun to change.

The trees dropped all of their leaves and instantly dried up. The squirrels (and other small animals that had been running around enjoying the pleasures of life) fell to the ground dead. Shadows from all directions began to grow, almost like they were alive.

_RUN YOU FOOL! RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!_

Naruto didn't need to be told twice, in an instant he was off. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him while all around him everything was dying. He boosted his speed with chakra to try to get away, but the death was still closing in around him.

Desperate, he called on Kyuubi to help him get away. She lent him her strength and he began to run on all fours. He looked around and saw that he was finally gaining ground against the terrible destruction that seemed to be chasing after him and he began to relax when suddenly he felt something take hold of his leg.

Naruto faltered and went face first into the dirt. He looked down to see what had tripped him up and saw a black hand wrapped around his ankle. He looked up from the hand and saw that the shadows from the now dead forest were creeping ever closer. In a panic, Naruto tried desperately to free himself from the hand, but it held him like the shackles of a guillotine.

Closer and closer the shadows came, all the while writhing and twisting like a snake as it dies. Naruto desperately looked for something to get him out of this nightmare, and that's when he saw them. The glowing amber orbs that pierced him to the very soul. The eyes that shone beneath raven locks and promised only death to those that would fall in their path.

Then, without any kind of warning one of the shining swords was hurtling toward him. All Naruto could do was put his arms out in front of him to try and deflect some of the blow. He knew he wouldn't be able to stop the blade, though and prepared for the worst.

Just as the blade made contact with his skin, it vanished. Naruto uncovered his face to see what had happened to the sword when he noticed that not only had the sword vanished, but so did Kage. Naruto was still held by the hand, but he could feel it quivering so he pulled his foot away and freed himself from it.

He looked around and saw that the shadows were receding and no longer coming after him. He was so relieved that he almost didn't notice the two blades crossing in front of his neck. As soon as he did, though, his blood turned to ice.

"Seems like a familiar set-up, don't you think Naruto-kun?" purred a voice that would have made the sun itself freeze. Naruto could do nothing as he felt the steel cut into his flesh. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and everything went black again.

Kage sat beside Naruto as he writhed on the ground. Naruto had been going through this gen-jutsu for the past two days. He wasn't particularly fond of doing this to Naruto, but something compelled him to test his future rival's will. Kage smiled as he contemplated the battle that would be fought between them. "Well, that should be enough to make him remember me. Guess its time to deliver this package back to Konoha," he purred. He needed his rival to begin training. Kage was not the most patient of assassins.

Well, there you have it! Chp. 3 of "A Ninja's Passion". now that I finally have time on my hands I'll be able to actually write these a lot a bit more often than I have been. Remember; read, review, favorite, and enjoy! Oh! And above all else, keep on keeping on!


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